12 Questions with Rebecca Douglas

Rebecca Douglas is a strategic leader with a passion for nurturing talent. With an award-winning track record in developing and managing training programmes at IPG Health Medical Communications, she is committed to creating an inclusive environment. Douglas' approach to talent development is rooted in her belief that every individual has the potential to excel when given the right tools and support. She cultivates robust external partnerships, aligns efforts with organisational goals, and consistently delivers impactful results.

What are the main responsibilities of your current role? As the group programme director at IPG Health Medical Communications, my primary responsibility is to lead the talent development team, aligning our efforts with major organisational goals to support the professional development of over 800 employees. This involves conceptualising, managing, and continuously evolving talent development initiatives that cater to entry-level and experienced professionals. I consistently advocate for an inclusive organisational culture, fostering equity, diversity, and inclusion in our talent development initiatives. I strongly believe in the power of networks and have built robust partnerships with external entities.

What is your background prior to this role and how did it prepare you for the work you do now? After earning a PhD in Neuroscience, I launched my career in medical communications as an entry-level medical writer and quickly advanced to senior medical writer. This foundational experience, coupled with my extensive work as a freelance scientific director, provided me with deep insights into effective communication, strategic leadership, and the ongoing need for development and improvement in our industry.

My passion for lifelong learning led me to transition into talent development. I became the programme director for allegro.WRITE at Ashfield Medical Communications, where I focused on nurturing entry-level medical writers and integrating them seamlessly into the organisation.

Building on this experience, I embraced a new opportunity to focus on providing equitable development opportunities for all talented professionals at IPG Health Medical Communications. In my current role, I lead initiatives such as Fuel, which supports early-career talent, and Northstar, which is designed for experienced professionals.

What is your proudest professional accomplishment to date? Seeing the impact of the work my team does on others' success. Whether it's guiding high-flyers to new heights or helping slower burners find their stride, I take great pride in helping to nurture talent and watching people grow into their potential.

What motivates you about working in pharma? Making a difference. Years ago, I experienced a spinal fracture and found myself in a situation where the healthcare professionals around me were speaking in Welsh, a language I didn’t understand. It was terrifying not knowing what was being said about my care. That experience made me realise the critical importance of clear, jargon-free communication, especially during times of stress.

In med comms, our work truly makes a difference. While we may not always interact directly with patients, I always keep the patient at the centre of my thinking when crafting scientific narratives or supporting others in doing so. It's this focus on clear communication and patient care that drives my passion for working in pharma.

What is your personal mission statement? What values keep you centred in your work? To cultivate inclusive and high-performing teams that drive organisational success and foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement. Key to that is ensuring that our people have opportunities to grow and develop new skills, apply their strengths and interests to new experiences, and be challenged in a variety of ways. This is the core of our Proactive Career Management (PCM) philosophy, which empowers our talent to proactively explore their potential and take control of their career journey and growth across our vast network.

What are the most important professional skills in your work and how do you hone them? The list of essential skills in my role is extensive, but some stand out as particularly crucial: industry knowledge and expertise, communication skills, strategic thinking, project management, adaptability, coaching and mentoring, and stakeholder management.

I believe in the power of continuous learning and never consider myself to have fully 'mastered' any of these skills. It's about the pursuit of constant improvement - aiming to be 1% better every day.

How do you foster diversity in your workplace? I think we all have role to play in advancing EDI and ensuring it’s infused into all aspects of our business and day-to-day work - in talent development, we’re constantly challenging ourselves to learn more and do more so that we enable a diverse workforce to bring their whole selves to work each day.

What advice do you have for your pharma industry peers? Stay curious, energised, driven, and focused!

What advice would you give to a young person starting out in your field? 
1) Embrace curiosity and continuous learning: never stop asking questions and seeking new knowledge. The more you learn, the better you'll understand and contribute. 
2) Be adaptable and open to feedback: stay flexible and be receptive to feedback. We all share the common goal of making an impact. 
3) Remember that clients are human too: view clients as partners rather than just recipients of your work. Share your insights and ideas; your strategic input is valued. 
4) Always keep the patient in mind: every data point and statistic represents a real person. Keeping the patient at the centre of your work ensures your communications are meaningful and impactful.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be? It would be the ability to be in two places at once. I like my work, but I adore my home time - if I could do both things at the same time, it would be very helpful!

If you could have any job other than the one you have now, what would you choose? I think I’d probably have been a primary school teacher, I love working with kids and have done lots of voluntary work with children over the years.

How do you manage health, fitness, and wellness in your life? I make it part of my routine - I swim and/or gym every morning before work and I love getting out into the fresh air at the weekend.

Connect with Rebecca Douglas on LinkedIn.